Broncos hammer Bulldogs 30-0

Round 24
Canterbury Bulldogs 0 v Brisbane Broncos 30
at Telstra Stadium
Referee: Steve Clark

Match Summary:
The Brisbane Broncos have defeated the Canterbury Bulldogs 30-0 in a stunning upset at Telstra Stadium tonight. The Broncos were in control throughout and led 18-0 at half time.

The Broncos took seven minutes to open the scoring with a try to Tonie Carroll who crashed over from short range off a Darren Lockyer pass. It then took nearly half an hour for the next points to be posted, when Shaun Berrigan snuck through some dreadful defence to score. Mere minutes later the 26,111 crowd were stunned as Lockyer capped off a breakout play by the Broncos for an 18-0 lead. The Bulldogs lost a number of players to injury in the first half ? they lost Asotasi, Tonga and Myles to leg injuries and Asotasi and Tongas futures this season are up in the air.

The Broncos sealed the match after 55 minutes with a great try to Shaun Berrigan. Justin Hodges fielded a long kick, returned it right through the defensive line and offloaded to Berrigan who raced away to score. The second half meandered along with a number of tries rubbed out by Steve Clark or the video ref. The Broncos put an exclamation point on the win in the 80th minute with another breakout try, on this occasion to Brent Tate.

Next week the stunned Bulldogs will travel to Brookvale for another Friday night clash, while the Broncos face yet another challenge as they return to Sydney to play the Eels at Parramatta Stadium.

The result tonight officially crowned the Melbourne Storm as Minor Premiers.

Scorers:
Canterbury Bulldogs: 0
Tries:
Brisbane Broncos: 30
Tries: Shaun Berrigan(2), Tonie Carroll, Darren Lockyer, Brent Tate
Goals: Darren Lockyer 2/2, Corey Parker 3/3

By the Clock:
Good evening from Telstra Stadium. Tonight we have to Bulldogs looking to continue their drive to second on the ladder with a victory over the rather listless Broncos.

Last week the Bulldogs took care of business in beating the Dragons 26-10, while the Broncos were brave in their 12-18 loss to the Storm.

The Broncos are 1-17. The Bulldogs are missing Sonny Bill, Dallas McIlwain comes in for him.

Pretty good looking crowd in. The Dogs in butchers stripes, the Broncos in maroon.

1 min: The Bulldogs kick off!

3 min: A few players slipping over early.

7 min: TRY Brisbane Broncos
Tonie Carroll barges over from close range off a Lockyer short pass. Lockyer converts.
Broncos 6-0

10 min: ON REPORT - A swinging arm from Willie Mason has Shane Perry in less than great shape. It was also a somewhat late tackle.

13 min: INJURY - Asotasi forced into the dressing rooms with a knee injury.

14 min: The Dogs making some uncharacteristic errors.

16 min: Boyd crosses out wide, but the final pass from Tate is ruled forward. A very close call.

17 min: A very similar incident at the other end of the field. Utai makes a clean break up the middle. The last pass from Ryan to Patten is ruled forward in a dreadful decision.

22 min: INJURY - Willie Tonga headed for the sheds as well.

23 min: INJURY - Nate Myles injured but he is forced to play on. Mason is also injured. He's had a head clash but can carry on.

26 min: INJURY UPDATE - Willie Tonga out for the night with a knee injury. Scans tomorrow for the rest of his season. Nate Myles has limped from the field too. The Dogs are down to one man on the bench.

30 min: Still the Bulldogs are making wierd errors. Bad passes, simple knock ons.

34 min: TRY Brisbane Broncos
Berrigan runs across field from dummy half, escapes from some flimsy tackles and scores to the left of the posts. Parker converts.
Broncos 12-0

36 min: TRY Brisbane Broncos
The Broncos go back to back. Parker makes a break up the middle. Tate gets tackled, Lockyer races onto the ball to score under the posts. Parker converts. This is a vintage Pre-Origin Broncos performance.
Broncos 18-0

Half time in a less than exciting match. The Broncos are going well, but the Bulldogs are flatter than a crepe.

40 min: Back underway at Telstra!

44 min: VIDEO REF - For an unlikely Bulldogs try..

44 min: NO TRY - Bulldogs
McIlwain ruled to have bounced the ball in trying to ground it chasing his own kick. It looked like it could justifiably have been awarded as a benefit of the doubt try.

McIlwain injured his shoulder in the process of scoring.

47 min: Bulldogs totally unable to crack the Broncos defence. It isn't their night.

55 min: TRY Brisbane Broncos
Hodges returns a kick, opens up the Bulldogs defence, draws Patten and passes to Berrigan who races 48 metres to score under the posts. Parker converts.
Broncos 24-0

59 min: CROWD - 26,111

62 min: Another Broncos try is wiped out on a dodgy forward pass call. More forward passes called tonight than in an entire weekend.

64 min: VIDEO REF - For a Broncos try...

64 min: NO TRY - Broncos
Tate knocks a cross field kick on.

66 min: VIDEO REF - For a Bulldogs try...

66 min: NO TRY - Utai forced into the corner post before he ground the ball.

69 min: El Masri trapped in the ingoal for a Broncos dropout.

74 min: VIDEO REF - For a Broncos try...

74 min: NO TRY - Broncos
Boyd ruled to have knocked on being tackled close to the line.


78 min: VIDEO REF - For a Bulldogs try...

78 min: NO TRY - Bulldogs
Andrew Ryan penalised for interfering with Justin Hodges chasing a kick.

80 min: TRY Brisbane Broncos
Thaiday breaks the Bulldogs defence and offloads to Tate who races away to score under the posts. Lockyer adds the extras.
Broncos 30-0

Fulltime, and the Broncos claim an astounding 30-0 victory over the previously in form Bulldogs.
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Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - Justin Hodges (Broncos)
2 - Petero Civoniceva (Broncos)
1 - Darren Lockyer (Broncos)
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